In late September, the U.S. Department of Labor announced it was lowering the H-2A Adverse Effect Wage Rate, better known as AEWR. If the interim rule is adopted, it means rates will drop to around $1.80 an hour in Idaho, $2.10 in Oregon, and nearly $2.50 an hour in Washington, and will go lower in other states as well. Enrique Gastelum, CEO of the Worker and Farmer Labor Association, said these proposed changes are far from a “silver bullet,” but he feels this will help farmers and perhaps allow workers to make more.
The changes to the H-2A program, such as these proposals, are a big piece of the puzzle of what a legal workforce looks like going forward. While these AEWR changes are proposals, Gastelum said he believes the Trump administration will do something.
Gastelum added that these proposed changes to H-2A may make the program more palatable for growers and producers across the country.
